As described by Boeing, Qantas has nearly doubled its 787 fleet with the commitment to 12 more widebody aircraft.
A deal includes the rumoured 787-10, a new airline variant, and further commitments to the currently flying Boeing 787-9.
The specific split will see four 787-9s and eight 787-10s join the network.
Deliveries for the new batch of 787s are set to begin in under five years from FY27 with the aircraft being ordered, alongside a commitment to the A350 being critical in replacing the operations of the Airbus A330.
Qantas has long been studying an ideal replacement for its Airbus A330 series as they begin to age. In line with the company’s goals, it wants to keep its fleet young and revolutionise its operations by the decade’s end.
The Boeing 787, since being delivered, has been a crucial part of the airline’s global network, opening up new route possibilities and offering customers a fantastic cabin product, too. Notably, the 787 has been used to expand further into North America, focusing on European services.
The acquisition of the 787-10 still opens up countless possibilities for the Qantas route network, with services to Asia and more being possible. Meanwhile, further 787-9s will ease the pressure on their existing 787-9 operations alongside the A350 joining up.
Reuters broke the story indicating Qantas was nearing a deal for the 787-10, which has now been confirmed. While the A330neo had been briefly mentioned as a potential A330 replacement, the 787 and A350 were selected for those operations.
Where these 787s fly remains to be seen, but the airline is already targeting destinations such as Paris, Seattle and further expansion into Asia.
